


rainbow towers

by spideywhiteys



Series: 365 Days of Naruto AUs [11]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Gen, Short n sweet, also i feel like the steampunk aspect is more implied, idk i tried, it's kind of a ... victorianesque setting, shikaku is a technician, yamato lives in a huge clock tower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28698126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spideywhiteys/pseuds/spideywhiteys
Summary: Yamato's life revolves around a clock tower older than the city that surrounds it. It's like a living being, and like all living beings, sometimes it needs a bit of care.
Series: 365 Days of Naruto AUs [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086938
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	rainbow towers

**Author's Note:**

> DAY 11: Steampunk AU / Yamato + Shikaku
> 
> honestly i was not really vibing with this prompt, so it's ,,, very short kdjalksdj at least by my standards

The gears of the old clock tower need replacing. Yamato peers down from the bridge at the closest troublemaker — a type B larger than three of him combined. It’s rusted and chipping at the edges, creating an awful scraping noise. There’s a few more scattered about; massive, decrepit things that are older than Yamato himself. Probably older than his great-grandparents, even. 

In the center of a thriving city of steam and steel is this very clock tower, standing tall enough to touch the clouds. It’s the oldest building remaining, and the care and upkeep has been passed down his family line for longer than he cares to know. The interior is vast, so vast that rope and steel bridges swing from side to side, connecting ramps and levels made of polished wood or metal grating. 

Golds and browns and grays, broken up by the occasional hanging curtain or cloth in various shades and patterns. The odd board sticks out from a ramp, a hanging plant swinging softly. In the very center, spiraling up through the gaps of gears and bridges and floorspace, is a golden elevator that’s always reminded Yamato of a birdcage.

“How’s it look?” He asks, voice echoing and carrying down to the man swinging from a bungee seat. 

“Pretty bad,” Shikaku calls back, tinted goggles pulled over his sharp eyes. “They don’t make gears like this anymore. Might have to replace this section entirely.”

Yamato exhales, rubbing his temple. “That sounds like a pain.”  
“You said it.”  
“Is there really nothing that can be done?”

Shikaku shakes his head, gesturing with his glove-clad hands at the mess before him. “There’s a crack in this gear. It’ll only get worse the longer we leave it. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not risk the whole thing splintering and falling on our heads sometime down the road.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Yamato flips open the silver pocket watch clipped to his vest. It’s almost 7pm, sunset clawing its way to dusk. Hopefully the vibrations from the hour hand won’t aggravate the cracked gear too much. “Does it look like a couple days of work?”

Shikaku cranks the lever on the bungee seat, a pulley dragging him back up to the platform Yamato is standing on. “Oh, definitely.” He says when he comes to a stop.

There’s a smudge of oil on his cheek, spread across one of the gnarly scars he sports. Beads of sweat hang at his hairline, a look of perpetual exhaustion clings to the skin under his amber eyes. He’s getting on in years now, crows feet by his eyes and smile lines deep by his nose and the corners of his mouth. His son must be nearing seventeen, if Yamato recalls correctly. Moving on in the family business.

“I’ll have to call in a few others to get this done quickly.” The technician mutters, unbuckling himself from the bungee seat with the motions of a man who’s done it countless times before. His boots thud against the platform, and the buttons of his vest glint in the slips of sunset that peek through the stained glass windows haphazardly placed in the walls. “I’m sure my son will absolutely hate it if I make him come, so he’ll be here tomorrow.”

Yamato laughs a little, “Like father like son, then.”

“Hey, I showed up!”

“Yeah, and you complained for the first hour you were here.” 

Shikaku purses his lips, no comeback readily available. “...that aside...”

“Changing the subject?”

_ “That aside,” _ Shikaku repeats, a little louder, “I estimate we’ll be out of your hair in three days if we have a team of ten.”

Yamato whistles. “Can you guys even spare that many people? I know you have that big project that you’re all in the middle of…”

The other man shrugs, wiping the sweat from his temple. It leaves another streak of black grease on his dark skin. “This place is basically the heart of the city. A historical monument. I think we can spare a few days to fix it up a bit.”

“Thanks.” Yamato says, and he means it. He’s not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Especially when the Nara Company will offer a discount for an extremely expensive service — as they always do for their friends. 

“Don’t even worry about it.” Shikaku says, throwing Yamato a smile that makes him look ten years younger. “Opportunities to work on this old place don’t come often. Really, you’re doing  _ me _ a favor.”

Yamato can understand loving your job, but living and growing in the very clock tower that everyone admires has really dimmed his views of it. It’s nothing special, just home. He just shrugs. “If you say so.”

They make their way to the elevator, feet noisy against the walkway grating. The last bits of sunset are the brightest, shining like a faraway beacon through the windows. The tower is awash in stained glass rainbows.

It’s nothing special. But it’s always beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow / Support me on [Tumblr](https://spideyfoof.tumblr.com/) and let me know if you'd like to see more of this AU!


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